How to choose a watermelon without nitrates: do home testing methods work
Kyiv • UNN
Nitrates in watermelons can be detected by the cut, veins, and color of the flesh. Testing with water and iodine will help determine the quality of the berry.
The watermelon season is just around the corner, and this traditional August berry will soon appear on the tables of many Ukrainian households. However, with the start of the season, concerns arise about the nitrate content in the berry. UNN explains how to choose a ripe and safe watermelon, which signs are truly worth considering, and whether it is possible to detect excess nitrates in watermelons at home.
What are nitrates and why are they found in watermelons
Nitrates are salts of nitric acid, also called saltpeter. Most healthy people will not have problems with nitrates, as they are completely harmless within permissible limits. However, if consumed in excessive amounts through food or water, they begin to concentrate in the body in large quantities and then indeed cause harm.
The amount of nitrates in plants can be influenced not only by fertilizers but also by natural phenomena that are difficult to control. Such as: the chemical composition of the soil or irrigation water, the amount of light, the density of crops, and even the time of day when the harvest was collected.
There is an opinion that watermelons contain a lot of nitrates, although the highest amounts are found in spinach, celery, kale, and table beets (on average 1-1.5 thousand milligrams per kilogram of weight). Onions, peppers, eggplants, and green peas have the least harmful salts.
To determine whether nitrates exceed the permissible norm in a watermelon, you should pay attention to the cut. A good watermelon has a cut with grains and unevenness, while a watermelon with nitrates has a smooth cut.
If you hold the cut of the watermelon up to the light and it glows purple, this indicates that the nitrates exceed the norm. A watermelon with nitrates has yellow veins and will quickly sink if placed in water.
How to choose a watermelon without nitrates
In favorable summer weather, watermelons can be purchased in mid-August. Overall, the watermelon season begins in late summer-early autumn. In early August, early varieties of watermelons usually appear in markets, as well as those grown in greenhouses. They are not very sweet and are often saturated with nitrates.
Also, do not believe the tales that the taste of a watermelon depends on its size. This is not true. Both a small one - up to 5 kg, and a large one - from 10 kg, can be sweet. But practice shows that a large watermelon contains a lot of liquid, so it is juicier.
The coloring of the watermelon should be rich and contrasting. The stripes of the watermelon should be clear, not blurred. The darker the stripes on the watermelon, the better; it will then be ripe and juicy.
Usually, few people pay attention to the watermelon's tail, but in fact, this is a very important point. The tail allows you to determine the quality of the watermelon. If the tail is cut off, feel free to go to another seller, because this indicates an attempt to hide the quality of the fruit.
A very dry tail indicates that the watermelon was picked from the field a long time ago and traveled a long way. Most often, this means the watermelon is already ripe. A wet tail indicates that the fruit is not yet ripe. The color of the tail of a non-sweet watermelon is green or dark green.
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Testing a watermelon in water and with iodine: do these methods work
To test a watermelon in water, you need to fill a large basin or bucket with water and place the watermelon in it. If it remains floating like a float on the surface, then everything is fine with it, but if it sinks to the bottom, it is full of nitrates.
The second option is a bit simpler - you need to pour a glass of water and put a piece of watermelon pulp into it. In an ideal scenario, the water should remain clear, but if it suddenly turns red or pink, it means you bought a watermelon with "chemicals" in its composition.
Another way to test a watermelon is with iodine. To do this, you need to cut a piece of watermelon and drop iodine on it. The flesh, colored brown, is suitable for consumption, but if the watermelon turns blue, green, or purple, it is better not to eat it.
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